Mono's Tones.
Whoopi Goldberg literally just gave BTS the very shirt off her back. The K-Pop sensation that have even made Psy's 'Gangnam' last season's style are in London on the BBC's Friday night talk show hosted by the hilarious and heartfelt Graham Norton. And everyone in attendance are screaming in a One Direction unison that points to the nostalgia of the first time four fabulous lads from Liverpool graced the stage of the Ed Sullivan show. These 'Idols' have just performed their big hit with showstopping chereography. Without needing superstar guest feature queen Nicki Minaj. And now they're all on the couch with 'Gone Girl's' Rosamund Pike and more of Hollywood's elite. Talking so much in near perfect translation that there isn't even time for Norton's sought after, popular red-chair flipping segment. Because nobody wants to see this squad walk. Everyone is in their gang, in soldier march, army unison. As Harry Connick Jr. syly snaps a selfie. Whilst 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' leading man heartthrob Jamie Dornan asks if he can be a new member of the group as Jimin is at home resting off a dance related injury. There may not be seven of them tonight, but there's a billion served worldwide for what may just become the best boy band of all-time. Giving both style and more substance to the fast food world of pop music in this Spotify digital age. Fan boys and girls across the globe want these guys album for real. There's a reason they are more than the best boy band since the Backstreet Boys and it has nothing to do with just how good they look or sing. These guys are on the cover of TIME right now. And they even spoke at the United Nations. You ever seen Justin Bieber do that?! It's because their genuine and sincere 'Love Yourself' message from the album of the same name is more like a movement that has given them this legion of real world followers. Watching and mimicking their every move like a dance, far more than the tomorrow too late, too gone, Twitter trending age. 'Sister Act' legend Goldberg was so moved by this chorus she unbuttoned her shirt that matched the beauty of the boys kimono's and handed it to the grateful recipients. Explaining that the piece of clothing-her own design-was all about movement and people. Giving it in heartfelt thanks to all the joy these boys are bringing to the world. Because after all the only way to erase pain is with joy. The only way to turn hate is with love. Which she saw in these young men in this very moment she became the newest member of the BTS army.
Bang Tan Boys leader RM may just be the most famous face in the world right now. The leading man of everything entertainment. Don't believe us? Just watch! It was once Bruno Mars uptown, but now it's this young soul from Seoul. Not new Los Angeles Lakers franchise superstar King LeBron James. Or Hollywood and 'Atlanta' movie and music star Donald Glover AKA Childish Gambino. Because this is more than America. Dreams aren't just made in California anymore. They belong just as Far East as they do in the wild west. And whether it be the neon temple culture of Japan, from the modern all the way back to the traditional. Or the 'Crazy Rich Asian' money of China and this year's biggest movie. Their influence is as present as it is correct. It's not all about the United States. For every comic-book there's manga. For ever Pixar, anime from studios like Ghibli. And now this young man and his squad are waving the flag for South Korea in a country that gives us hit movies Hollywood has no need or even right to remake. Like the zombie horror whose drama could actually move you to tears in 'Train To Busan' (and it's amazing animated prequel 'Seoul Station'). Or ones that could take on both 'Atomic Blonde' and 'John Wick' combined in 'The Villainess' (there's your crossover right there). Meaning so much for a country who has so much against it. From their neighbours in the oppressing North. To the suicide rates in the South. Especially amongst youngsters and especially amongst young males that has reached epidemic levels of more than a national concern. We all tragically remember what happened at the end of last year to the late, great Jonghyun of Shinee. This is for him. My friend. And everyone we have lost to depression. RM and BTS teaching and telling the soul of their native South Korea and every boy and girl around the world to love themselves and keep doing so is exactly what this world falling to negativity like a Trump tweet needs right now and forever more. These are the most powerful men in the world. More than entertainment. As they have the right to practice what they preach in a political arena. But this isn't that. No politics as usual. This is all about the personal. And helping the public regain purpose in their private lives. Without shame or blame. Showing joy comes with pain. Something beautiful comes out of struggle. And light comes out of the shadows. Showing we can all rise from the trap of the four walls of our mind. Or the thoughts of the world in kind. You can call him artist. You can call him idol.
But don't point fingers. The reserved, but most outspoken leader of BTS-especially on a global PR scale-may have billions screaming his initials with BTS, but sometimes he goes it alone. And this former 'Rap Monster' RM follows his first name self-titled mixtape with a new collection he calls a playlist like fellow rapper from Canada, Drake's 'More Life's and all that Spotify streaming 'Passionfruit'. This 'Mono' music (with white paper, pencil scrawled, 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late' like artwork) and it's seven seal tracks, sinning in regards to the middle of the night awake, headphones on, electro-pop, atmospheric dream, are a whole different tone than BTS' candy coated chart collection. Yet from artistic videos to poetic interludes and messages not so subtely hidden, these beautiful boys have always hinted towards this depth of character and lyrical dexterity. Truly facing himself as the man in the mirror of the whole world watching, RM bares to us his most personal and profound project yet. Alongside American greats like capital lyricist, Washington's Wale he professed his skills as a true hip-hop star on his first tape. But this playlist punctuates not only his pain, but his power drawn from all that and all ours too as he encompasses us all. If anyone doubted BTS or K-Pop wasn't real music with real feeling then they won't now. From South Korea to Japan and the rest of this former MTV generation planet. This is real music like O.D. Harry Styles' solo songwriting album people couldn't believe was him like it wasn't butter. The 'mono.' opener 'Tokyo' is the new anthem for the metropolis of the Far East and the neon illuminated world like Harajuku fashion. Bathed in bright light, big city loneliness like people watching at the crossing of Shibuya's iconic Starbucks. Singing, "Life is a word that sometimes you cannot say/And ash is a thing that someday we all should be/When tomorrow comes/How different it's going to be/Why do love and hate sound just the same to me?" And even in Korean none of the hurt or humility in RM's words are lost in translation. Especially when he collaborates with English synth duo big in Japan and all of Asia, Honne for his hometown 'Seoul' and it's lavishing lyrical video. Mapping the city streets of the South Korean capital to Honne's unmistakable produced sound. From the skyscrapers of a bright day, to the twinkling lights loneliness of night. As R.M. seeing love and hate as the same, mirrors 'I love you so' light and dark "I love you Seoul/I hate you Seoul" musings to a video that's camera work turns the city upside down on itself for 'Tron' like neon time lapse tunnels, to tableaus of sea sky beautiful blue. "This city's harmony, it’s so familiar to me" he laments over this legendary landscape. That all comes to a parked car, convenience store head as our narrator, staying up on a late night drive way past seven or eleven tells us he's leaving like he's living. Surprised? Dont be. Besides 'Everythingoes' like he says on the electronic, euphoric standout he warns with wisdom behind the Maxwell and Musiq Soulchild styled, titled tracks. Whilst trying to reassure us amongst our troubles and struggles, 'uhGood'. And then woefully waving a ''badbye' to a lost love he wishes would "kill (him) softly" like a timeless Fugees song. But there's light in the phoenix rise, "We gotta dance in the rain/Dance in the pain" of the night is darkest before the dawn 'Moonchild'. Like the young man he was watching from his window as he told the United Nations in his stirring speech. But on his windows pain all you have to do is hear and see the closer 'Forever Rain' on his glass pane to feel his so emphatically and empathetically. Hiding under his umbrella, whilst people are minding theirs. Screaming out his hurt, "When it rains I/Get a little feeling that I do have a friend/Keeps knocking on my windows/Asks me if I’m doing well/And I answer, I’m still a hostage of life/I don’t live because I can’t die/But I’m chained to something". In all its depth of darkness, but influential introspection for a modern world, head down, lost in their phones. Like under the umbrella of a scrolling downpour. Accompanied by the amazing, beautiful, black and white animation on a 'The House Of Small Cubes' heartbreaking scale for the music video. Which may win no Oscars, but could sure use a Grammy. If these guys get ignored at the next ceremony than the industry really doesn't know music like that ignorant drivel they said about women this year that doesn't even bare repeating. This is the most substance pop has had since Sia put on a blonde wig, turned around and sung to the chandeliers. And that ruling Australian wasn't American too. RM is clearly a man still dreaming awake, whilst we are in R.E.M. like 'Everybody Hurts'. Wishing he could sleep off the pain. But in this 'Mono' mood there's honest beauty in his vulnerability. Flesh and blood turning hurt into art. And baring his soul he shows so much heart in return over these beats. Now doesn't that sound like love to yourselves? TIM DAVID HARVEY.
On Repeat: 'Seoul', 'Tokyo', 'Forever Rain'.
